The Bottle of Trouble
by Jillcb
Summary: This is set in the early days of Gwen and Merlin's friendship. When bumping into Merlin one evening, and feeling down in the dumps, Gwen invites him over for an evening. This is about what happens next.


**A Bottle of Trouble**

Gwen had finished for the day, and was on her way out of the citadel. She was tired after a day spent fretting about Morgana. Her mistresse's nightmares were getting worse and she was worried about how it was starting to affect her. She was so full of concern, she didn't see the shadow that passed before her. It was only when they collided that either of them noticed the other.

"Oh I'm sorry Merlin." Gwen apologised, as her friend had been taken by surprise.

"It was as much my fault to be honest." Merlin smiled, relieved that it was Gwen he'd bumped into and not the King.

"No it was really my fault, I'm so clumsy." Gwen smiled, aware that her heart was starting to beat away as she looked into his blue eyes.

Merlin laughed, "No harm done. Are you on your way home now?"

"Yes, I am." Gwen smiled, trying to remain as calm as she could. "Maybe you'd like to join me."

"Well-" Merlin hesitated, surprised.

"Not that I think you should do, but just if you'd like to." Gwen stammered, aware that her face was changing colour as she spoke. What must he think of me she wondered to herself. If only she could remain calm in front of him, but as ever her heart and her words raced ahead, leaving her feeling embarrassed.

"Actually it'll be nice. I mean Gaius is lovely, but it is nice to have someone else to speak too sometimes." Merlin smiled.

Before long they were walking through the lower town towards Gwen's house. Gwen still couldn't quite believe she'd invited him home, and was relieved that Tom her father was away for a couple of days. She suddenly remembered she should have gone shopping she certainly didn't have too much in. She would just have to use her imagination.

"Sit down." she said inviting him to sit on a chair by the table. "What would you like to eat?"

"Oh nothing much, I'm not really hungry more thirsty." Merlin remarked, having a good look around.

Gwen suddenly remembered there was a bottle of wine under the cupboard. She had promised to keep it for a happy occasion. As she secretly stared at her friend, she shrugged happily, wasn't this such a moment, if only she could keep control of herself.

"I have some wine here." Gwen smiled, trying to stop her hands from shaking.

"Here, let me." Merlin offered, as Gwen struggled with the top.

Before long Merlin had managed to loosen the top, and Gwen poured two decent amounts of wine into two glasses. She'd had very little experience of drinking wine and its possible affects. She briefly remembered her father's warnings about drinking wine on an empty stomach, but before long she and Merlin were tucking into it, laughing away.

As ever the conversation came onto Arthur, and the way Merlin treated the Prince of Camelot.

"He can be such a prat at times." he exclaimed, pouring down more wine.

Gwen giggled, feeling as if her laughter was getting louder and louder. "I have never known anyone call Arthur a prat before. I don't know how you get away with it"

"What do you mean?" Merlin asked, feigning hurt. "You should be asking how I manage to put up with him."

"Oh I've heard he can be an ass." Gwen admitted, suddenly realizing what she'd said, she put her hand over her mouth in shock.

"Guinevere!" Merlin said, making a show about looking shocked.

"Maybe I should watch what I say." Gwen giggled, drinking a bit more wine.

"On the other hand maybe not." Merlin grinned, pouring some more wine into their glasses.

Gwen had never noticed anything go down as quickly as this was. Already over half the bottle had been consumed. The more they drank, the merrier they became. Suddenly the slightest thing that either of them said caused enormous amusement for them.

Gwen also noticed that at times Merlin was looking very hazy as she looked at him. By the time Merlin had poured the remaining wine into their glasses, Gwen felt as if the room was swinging around them. She hardly dared to move.

"I think I could do with some water!" she said, attempting to put one foot on the floor.

"No, no I will do that." Merlin said gallantly.

As he rushed up from the table the next thing Gwen could hear was a gasp as he fell over. She slowly lifted her head up off the table to see Merlin leaning on his hands on the floor his bottom sticking up in the air.

Gwen couldn't help herself but burst out laughing at the sight of him. She carefully got up from the table, turned around intending to help him up. But suddenly she found herself on a heap next to him. They giggled at each other as they struggled to get up. Merlin managed to heave himself back up onto the chair, sitting down with a huge bang, as his arms fell onto the table.

"I'll pull you up." Merlin said, leaning over to Gwen. He managed to eventually pull her up and she giggled as she eased onto the chair.

Suddenly they sat there not quite knowing what to do. Gwen had no idea who it was that moved first. Before she knew they were kissing away. Gwen wished her head would keep still, as she was sure it was rocking from side to side. But she smiled to herself, feeling briefly on top of the world. This was indeed a great feeling she thought to herself, before suddenly dark claimed her.

Next Day

Light was starting to pour in through the window when Gwen semi opened her eyes. She looked around her she was not in her bed. More to the point why was someone holding her hand? She jumped which awoke an equally startled Merlin. For a second they jumped back from one another, as if neither of them could quite understand, how they'd come to be here.

"I'm, I'm sorry Gwen." Merlin said, jumping up wobbling on his feet.

"No it was my fault I think." Gwen assured him, as she attempted to get up, her head banging away. If only she could remember what had happened last night.

"I'd better get back." Merlin said, struggling to the door.

"Merlin are you sure you will be all right?" Gwen asked, watching her friend wobble his way past the door, and into the lower town.

"Yes I'll be fine thanks Gwen." Merlin smiled, "We'd better keep this quiet."

"Yes." Gwen agreed. "We don't want any gossip circulating."

"No absolutely not." Merlin replied.

The last Gwen saw off him was his departing figure limping up towards the citadel. She sighed to herself, it was just her luck getting Merlin to herself at long last and then not being able to remember what had happened! One thing she did know, it would be a long time before she drank some wretched wine. As her head continued to pound on her, she wondered how it was that some people could drink every night.

She threw the bottle into her bin, cursing the sight of it. As she sat and munched on some breakfast, she knew this was one experience she would learn from.


End file.
